1. Field
The present patent application relates to a strain relief device for cables. The present patent application relates further to a fiber optic distribution device.
2. Technical Background
When building data transmission networks from optical cables, it is necessary to interconnect optical fibers of the cables and to store excess lengths of said optical fibers. The connection points and excess lengths must be handled in fiber optic distribution devices outside of buildings and inside of buildings.
Outside of buildings for so-called outdoor applications, connection points between optical fibers and excess lengths thereof, are typically accommodated in fiber optic distribution devices designed as cable sleeves or street cabinets. Inside of buildings for so-called indoor applications, connection points between optical fibers and excess lengths thereof, are typically accommodated in fiber optic distribution devices designed as distribution cabinets or distribution frames. Fiber optic distribution devices designed as wall boxes can be used both outside of buildings and inside of buildings.
Fiber optic fiber distribution devices designed as wall boxes are known from the product catalogue entitled “Accessories for fiber optic networks, Edition 1, pages 184 to 187, issue 2001, Corning Cable Systems GmbH & Co. KG”. The wall boxes disclosed in this product catalogue comprise a housing and optical fiber handling components, specifically splice cassettes and/or patch panels and/or strain relief devices, positioned inside the housing for handling connection points and excess lengths of optical fibers and for providing strain relief for the optical cables.
One of the key issues within fiber optic distribution devices is strain relieving of the optical cables entering the fiber optic distribution device.
Usually the strengthening elements of cables like aramid fibers are fixed by a simple clamp with a screw, however such a solution requires a lot of time for installation and a proper tool. Further on, such a solution requires a significant amount of flat surface and can therefore not provide a high density strain relief solution.
Another way to strain relieve cables is to use a standard cable tie. Using such cable ties is cost effective but not reliable.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,208,780 B2 discloses a strain relief device making use of a screw like element. This strain relief device requires a significant amount of flat surface and a proper tool. The strain relief device of U.S. Pat. No. 8,208,780 B2 does not provide a high density strain relief solution and does not provide a quick and easy operation.